LITMIR.BIZ

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umbrella would have been useless with the gusting wind. Finally she reached the front door and was sheltered by the portico. Knocking, she waited impatiently for it to open.

      “Miss.” One of the maids opened the door wide and urged her in. “Let me take your wet things. I will bring you a hair dryer,” she said, as Sara took off the windbreaker. Her shoulders were damp, but would soon dry. Her hair was dripping, however.

      “I’d appreciate it,” she said.

      The maid hurried away just as Eleani came down the stairs.

      “Goodness, Sara, you are soaked.”

      “The maid is getting me a hair dryer. The rest of me isn’t as wet and will dry soon. It’s really raining hard. How is Nikos?”

      “Men! They think they’re above being injured just by thinking that. Two of the cuts are deep. But there was nothing to be done but use adhesive to tape them together. I have some antibiotic ointment so I used that and bandaged the area. He should know better.”

      “We didn’t expect the surge in the water.”

      “A storm was brewing, anyone could see that,” Eleani said with exasperation.

      Sara nodded, feeling guilty that her desire for swimming had cause havoc.

      The maid returned holding a hair dryer. “If you wish, you can use this powder room,” she said.

      “I can get you some dry clothes,” Eleani said.

      “I’m fine. If I can dry my hair, the rest will dry soon. It’s not that cold.”

      Shortly, Sara joined Eleani and Spiros in the main salon. He expressed concern about their diving and Sara explained how they’d left the cove. It was at her request, yet Nikos was the one who had suffered.

      “Dinner,” one of the servants announced.

      “Shall we?” Spiros offered his arm to Eleani.

      Sara rose. When she entered the dining room, she did not see Nikos.

      “Is Nikos joining us for dinner?” she asked.

      “He should be here by now. Probably got tied up on some call.” Spiros turned to the man waiting to serve them. “Check on Nikos for me, would you?”

      “At once.”

      Taking their seats, they talked desultorily for a few moments until the man returned.

      “He’s asleep on his bed. Should I waken him?” he asked.

      “No, let him sleep, Spiros,” Eleani said, placing her hand on her husband’s. “It will help the healing. We can send up a tray after we eat.”

      “Fine.”

      Sara missed Nikos being there, even though the last couple of meals had been uncomfortable with him glaring at her. At least she knew him, they’d shared parts of their lives with each other. It was not the same with the two older people she scarcely knew, and one of whom she still had mixed feelings about. Sara still couldn’t reconcile her grandmother’s actions or lack thereof. Yet the more they talked, the more she grew to know the woman. Eleani had loved Damaris. That much was clear.

      After dinner Sara offered to take up a tray for Nikos. Spiros agreed and soon one was brought from the kitchen. She followed the older man’s directions and turned left at the top of the stairs. The house was large, with seven bedrooms, she’d been told. The flat she and her mother had shared would fit in the main salon and leave room to spare.

      The door was slightly ajar when she approached. Balancing the tray, she knocked. There was no answer. Pushing the door, she saw Nikos was sprawled across his bed, on his stomach, asleep. She opened the door enough to enter. Setting the tray down on a small table near one of the tall windows, she crossed to the edge of the bed.

      “Nikos?” she said softly.

      He looked just as formidable asleep as he did when awake. His hair was tousled. He was bare from the waist up and the white bandage was a stark contrast to his tanned skin.

      She felt odd watching him as he slept—as if she were intruding. She was also fascinated. Glancing around, she saw a straight chair, which she brought over so she could wait for him to waken. The dishes were covered; they’d keep the food warm for a little while. She wanted to reach out and touch him, feel the warmth of his skin, maybe even lean over and kiss him as if she had the right.

      She sat and waited, watching him sleep and thinking of how she might have done things differently. Perhaps it would have resulted in a different outcome. Maybe she could have salvaged their growing friendship, if nothing more.

      Sara lost track of time. She was about to leave when he stirred.

      “Nikos?” she said softly.

      He opened his eyes and looked at her. For a moment she felt cherished. Then his awareness kicked in and his gaze grew hard. “What are you doing here?” He rolled over, groaned softly and sat up. Reaching out, he switched on a bedside lamp.

      “Damn, this shoulder hurts more than I expected,” he said, rotating it a bit.

      “Don’t start it bleeding again. Eleani said two of the cuts were deep.” She jumped to her feet and reached out as if to stop him. She pulled back her hands when she realized what she was doing.

      “I brought you some dinner, but didn’t waken you as I thought you’d need the sleep. It’s probably cold by now,” she said, going to the table and lifting one of the plate covers. Steam rose. “Maybe not.”

      He rose and crossed the room. He reminded her of a panther on the prowl. Barefoot and bare-chested, he moved with elegant grace. The play of light and shadows on his skin had her fascinated.

      When he reached the table, he took a fork, cut a small portion and popped it into his mouth. Shrugging, he pulled a chair closer. “It’s warm enough and I’m hungry enough to eat anything.”

      “I’m sure Dimitri would be happy to warm it up or prepare you something else,” she said.

      “Don’t hover. Sit.” He pointed to a chair and took another bite. “It’s fine. I’ve had worse.” He looked at her. “And better.”

      “Will we still leave in the morning?” she asked, pulling the straight chair closer to him and sitting.

      He nodded. “This storm will blow out by then.”

      It was already dark outside. Rain coated the windows.

      Sara was content to watch him eat, as she had been to watch him sleep. She was storing memories to last a lifetime. She’d already decided that once she returned to the resort, she’d turn in her resignation and return to England. Her task was done. She wanted familiar people, places. She wanted the love of her friends and the trust she couldn’t have with people who suspected her motives for everything.

      So this might be the last time she’d be with Nikos. She treasured every moment.

      “Did you eat?” he asked.

      “With your grandfather and Eleani,” she said.

      “She’s your grandmother, you can call her that,” he said slowly.

      She shrugged.

      “You know.” He took another bite, ate it slowly then looked at her. “Your mother could have come back and confronted her parents. She didn’t need to try to reconcile by mail. Did you ever think of that?”

      “Of course I did. I even asked her several times why she didn’t. It was the family pride. She had as much as her father, I think. And I truly thought she was content enough with life in England. Her getting sick showed me how much she had missed Greece all her life. Even if she hadn’t reconciled with her parents, she could have made a good life for us among her friends and in familiar settings of her former home in Greece. But she refused to even visit.”

      “Don’t

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